Already at the first meeting, everything suggests that in this city nothing will be below the average or usual. Therefore the easiest way to describe Dubai is by using superlatives.
Dubai is for good reason considered the main shopping city in the Middle East and shopping is divided into two main types: the old market in Deira and Dubai Souk in Bur Dubai and great shopping centers around Baniyas Square, Al-Rigga and Al-Hiyafa Road.
Traditional souks
Dubai is truly a dream destination for shopaholics, with gigantic modern shopping centers and traditional Arab souks that offer customers everything from electronic devices to handmade carpets. But this attractive combination of old and new, in the heart of the Middle East, functions in accordance with some rules that we should be familiar with before coming to Dubai.
The world-renowned Gold Souk is the place where millions of women are buying gold. Quantities and collections of gold offered to buyers must surely is one of the best and widest offerings of gold in comparison to anywhere in the world. What makes the purchase of gold in this place so special and worthwhile is the fact that the price of gold is among the lowest in the world and exempted from taxes. Your senses will work overtime while you are walking and feeling the smells of many different kinds of spices. A strong aroma of different spices, including yellow saffron, cinnamon and aniseed will only stimulate many visitors to buy some of these spices.
Another incredible place to visit is Madinat Jumeirah. It’s a very vibrant and transportable market as well as all in Arab cities. It’s a place of colorful commercial culture. The passage leads visitors through the bazaar in an open-air atmosphere, small galleries that are spreading along the passages. The sounds of craftsmen and women who work are combined with the smells of street cafes and boutique restaurants. In here the emphasis is on the unique brands that are hand-made. Unique shopping and enjoyment at dinner – that’s what you will encounter in here.
Shopping festivals
Carefully choose your travel time In general, if possible, try to avoid the weekend (which applies here on Friday and Saturday), since locals and citizens of nearby Middle East countries come to the market, so the shopping malls are overcrowded. Also, Dubai hosts two big shopping festivals, offering great discounts, and organizing numerous entertainment activities. You need to know that there is no place like Dubai in the late summer. Breathtaking shopping will put a smile on your face while you are starting your surprise ride in this city.
The Dubai Shopping Festival begins in the first week of January and lasts for a month. It’s the world’s largest shopping festival that attracts around 3 million people from all over the world, who, apart from shopping, find entertainment in sightseeing, enjoying their time on the beaches, balloon rides and safari.
It is possible to find whatever you want in here – from gold and electronics, through cars and collections of the last pieces of luxury brands, to jewelry. You only need to say and choose what you want. And what is also important then you can buy it without taxes!
If you are exhausted after the purchase there
is no need to worry because you can enjoy in numerous activities organized for
both the couples and the whole family. Film shows, street theater performances,
international fashion events, rock concerts and other imaginative cultural
programs will entertain you while you are calculation how much money you will
spend during the festival. Exciting atmospheres are intensified by a trunk of
uncertainty: if you are lucky enough, you have the chance to win one of many
attractive prizes at various prize draws.
The festival was first held in 1996 to promote Dubai’s sales activity and since
then it has become a mandatory “checkpoint” for every single
shopaholic.
But as we will not discuss about the tastes
then we simply need to keep in mind that during the whole of January in Dubai
you can buy whatever your heart desires
The festival is held all over the city, from ancient markets of ancient Dubai
to Burj Khalifa.
The whole city is at the service of visitors who are supplied with special gastronomic offerings. At this time it is also possible to find excellent accommodation in hotels, so it is really worth paying a visit to Dubai during January.
The Dubai Summer Surprises Festival starts in the first week of August and lasts until mid-September. It’s a very popular entertainment and shopping festival in Dubai. Foreign guests who come to the city in this period bargain in over 6,000 stores that are prepared for this event. The festival is specially prepared for families, as each shopping center organizes a program for children of all ages. It has been held since 1998 and during its existence Summer Surprises has become a kind of tourist mecca.
Shopping Centers in Dubai
Luxury brands are the real treasure for every shopaholic. So, basically imagine fashion brands, luxury watches, electronics, jewelry, cars… Everything you want is available in here. Dubai Mall, Mall of Emirates, BurJuman Mall, Ibn Battuta Mall and Festival City Mall are just some of the centers you can choose from. This is obviously a paradise for those who came to spend money and have fun.
Dubai’s most popular markets sell gold, spices, textiles and perfumes, but if you’ve already traveled to the Middle East and walked through the bazaars, do not expect an identical situation and chaos here. The spaces are air-conditioned and the buildings are safe. We are given a feeling of antiqueness through ambience and the atmosphere. Prepare for bargaining, both for luxury items and for their copies and replicas.
Religious rules
Pay attention to religious rules. The United Arab Emirates is an Islamic country and Muslim holidays can affect the working hours of sales facilities. Friday is reserved for prayer and rest and many smaller shops do not open at all on Friday. During Ramadan, Muslims do not drink and eat during the day, so eating and drinking is prohibited in all public places. That’s why restaurants and cafes in shopping malls are open only in the evening.
At the end of the Ramadan for two long weekends, most shops offer special discounts.
Dressing
The local population is very tolerant towards different attitudes and beliefs. But while you are in this country, you must respect their cultural and religious rules. This means modest eating in public places (including shopping malls and restaurants), covered shoulders and knees for women and without shorts and naked breasts for men.
It is worth mentioning that spills of tenderness, drunkenness or rudeness in a public place are not tolerated.
Pricing
Though you are in the Middle East, in the country of souks and loud street vendors, there is no price tag in shopping malls. Outside the discount season, prices are even quite high for the standards of most of the people. Naturally, you are expected to engage in negotiations and negotiate about the price of what you are interested in – whether it is gold, fabric or some fragrant spice. Always think about the opening price as an introduction to the negotiations.
Managing
You need to know that Dubai was not made for pedestrians. There is a shopping area all over the city, but you just cannot walk between them. It is, therefore, a recommendation to opt for a taxi, which is extremely accessible here. There is a metro station, which has stations in the immediate vicinity of several major shopping centers. Or another way is to rent a car because Dubai is a city where you can easily find a car. If you any kind of uncertainties you can always visit the website of Buy Any Insurance, a local company that covers the area of car insurance and is one of the leaders in the field.
